Backup FTP Error

Freepbx setup on vultr server.
QNAP setup in-house on premise.

I have setup the port forward rules on the router and I am able to access the FTP site from outside the local network with no problem.

When setting up the FTP server for the backup on FreePBX, I have all the usual items setup. However, when I run the backup, I get the following error:

Storing backup…
Could not login using combination of username (mikeaph) and password (**********)

I know that the user name and password are correct, however, I just can’t seem to get it to work.

Is this by any chance FreePBX 15, and by any chance do you see in the error output that it has to colons? (address::port)

[referenced bug here https://issues.freepbx.org/browse/FREEPBX-20486 - mod]

Thank you for your reply. The version I am running is FreePBX 14.0.13.4.

I reviewed the bug report and checked the error output and it does not seem like that is what I am experiencing. Here is the text from the log that is sent via email after the job runs:

August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Backup Lock acquired!
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Running pre-backup hooks…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Adding items…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Initializing Backup 3
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Backup Lock acquired!
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Running pre-backup hooks…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Adding items…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Building manifest…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Building manifest…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Creating backup…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Creating backup…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Storing backup…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Storing backup…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Could not login using combination of username (administrator) and password ()
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Running post-backup hooks…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - Backup completed with errors!
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Could not login using combination of username (administrator) and password (
)
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Running post-backup hooks…
August 28, 2019, 7:32 am - id: bb2ac0b8da1f64a3498af147ba43fc10
data: Backup completed with errors!

Are the username and password correct for FTP, or just for logging in? How did you test this?

I’d recommend using a real FTP client from the server and try logging in that way. If you have logs on the FTP server, check those to see what error is actually occurring. It’s possible that you are getting a different error and the backup program is interpreting the error as “unable to log in”.

+1

The FTP filesystem type and transfer mode also need to be set correctly. If you aren’t sure, there are only four combinations.

Feature request: A button to test backup credentials without having to run a backup.

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We are in Beta for Version 15 - the holdup is Backup and Restore. While I support the idea of a Feature Request for this, I wouldn’t hold your breathe that it can happen soon. On the other hand, if no one actually submits said request, it will certainly never happen.

Can you provide a link to submit such a request, just in case someone thinks of an idea like this and wishes to submit it? :grinning:

Understand if you’re on feature freeze for v15; As a provider who really needs the ‘restore from any version’ to get a bunch of virtualized v13 systems upgraded, I’m totally good with focusing on that for now, and not new stuff.

The Issues tab (I think) is where you submit Feature Requests.

Now, remember that Backup and Restore is part of the OpenSource codebase, so if an enterprising provider that was waiting on the release of software were to code up a change and send in the update with their request, I’m sure the gods of Atlassian would be more than happy to fast track said change…

The FTP server is on my local network. The FreePBX is in the cloud on a Vultr machine.

I was able to access the FTP server via my browser here locally and also through a web browser on a machine that is at another site, just to make sure that my router config was correct.

I am also able to connect using WinSCP to the server via FTP, as well. I tested this locally and on a remote machine.

Is there a way to open a Putty session to the FreePBX and attempt to connect to the FTP server via CLI to test it that way?

I believe I tried all of the combinations, however, I will attempt that again now.

Normally, you’ll log in to the server using the SSH connection. If you use putty for that, go for it. I use an old (and I mean ancient) version of the OpenSSH client, but I doubt you could find it anywhere anymore.

The only way to really test this is to log into the actual server. Remember, the firewall on the way into your PBX needs to be configured to allow FTP, and many are not.

If you want to try a different protocol (and I’m no expert on the module) you could try using SFTP instead of FTP. It uses the SSH protocol instead of the strange “two legged” FTP protocol, so you don’t end up with strange errors like you would with FTP. FTP is an ancient and stupid protocol that really should go the way of me and the rest of the dinosaurs.

Since you are getting a permissions error, you need to make sure the FTP user on the local server allows the credentials you are using. Some NAS systems will not allow you to connect via the FTP port using a “management” account. The NAS we use here disallows FTP access to about 20 usernames that look like admin accounts.

Would that I could, but as Clint Eastwood wisely said as Dirty Harry, “A man has got to know his limitations” and I suffer from Acute Coding Acumen Deficit Disorder (ACADD).

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So I created the same backup on another machine and it worked fine. I have no idea what the problem was, but I completely deleted the job and re-created it and it worked fine after that. The only think I can figure is that the backup was created using the wizard and the second was not. Either way, it works now.

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